Grades/Academic Standing

Transfer Credits

Transferring from Southwestern

Transfer students are responsible for determining the requirements of the institution and program to which they plan to transfer.  Official Southwestern transcripts can be ordered and delivered by using myLakerLink or visiting the Student First Stop Center.

Transferring to Southwestern

Southwestern Oregon Community College accepts college level credits earned in academic certificate and degree programs from colleges and universities accredited by one of the following regional Associations of Colleges and Schools -- Middle States, North Central, New England, Northwest, Southern or Western.

Official transcripts are processed after the students have been formally accepted to the college. Send official transcripts to the Student First Stop Center. Send placement test scores to Educational Support Programs and Services (ESPS).

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

Courses considered Credit for Prior Learning include challenge exams, Credit for Industry Certification (CIC), and Prior Learning Assessment via portfolios (PLA). Students pay a per credit fee for credits earned through any of these methods.

Students can obtain no more than 25 percent of the overall credits for a degree through credit for Prior Learning Assessment via Portfolio (PLA).
In order to initiate the CPL process, students must meet with the instructor and negotiate an agreement. The student then pays the appropriate fee at Student First Stop. The form and agreement are then forwarded to the dean of that specific area for approval. Courses will then be added to the student’s transcript. Southwestern personnel will make no assurances as to the number of credits to be awarded prior to the completion of the institution's review process.

Advanced Placement Program (APP)

High school seniors who participate in the College Entrance Examination Board’s Advanced Placement Program may seek advanced placement in a variety of disciplines. Entering freshman who have taken the APP tests should have the results sent to the Student First Stop Center (https://www.socc.edu/firststop). Advanced placement and/or college credit may be granted upon recommendation of the appropriate party. Credit may be granted only if students are working towards a degree/certificate and enroll and complete a minimum of three credits at Southwestern during the quarter. The Student First Stop Center and the Educational Support and Programs Services (https://www.socc.edu/esps) can provide interested students with procedures.

College Level Entrance Examination Program (CLEP)

Students enrolled at Southwestern may receive credit for certain college courses by submitting official scores from the College Level Entrance Examination Program (CLEP). Successful CLEP exam results in grade and credit on the Southwestern permanent record identified as CLEP. The Student First Stop Center and the Educational Support Programs and Services can provide interested students with procedures. Click here (https://www.socc.edu/academics/alternative-credits) to learn more about specific tests, credits and equivalent scores.

Other Alternative Credit

Southwestern will evaluate any of the following learning experiences for credit depending on test and score: Advanced Placement Program (APP), College-level Entrance Examination Program (CLEP), and International Baccalaureate (IB). Military Service Credit, (AARTS, CCAF, CGI, and SMART) is considered for transfer evaluation based on American Council on Education (ACE) recommendation. Southwestern does not accept non-military ACE recommendations. A military Veteran will be granted three credits of PE applicable to all PE/Health degree requirements upon the submission of a DD214 with basic training completion.

Minimum Graduation Requirement

To meet requirements for a degree or certificate, a student must complete a minimum of 24 credits at Southwestern in addition to any credits transferred in from another institution or earned through alternative credit methods. Alternative credits must not duplicate other credit awarded.

Grade Point Average

• Southwestern computes GPA using the 4-point system and by dividing the total grade points by the total quality credits.
• Grades are assigned based on work completed at the end of the scheduled class time. Additional work or make-up after the ending date of the class is not justified unless an Incomplete was assigned.
• Grades and/or records found to be fraudulent will be changed.

• Grades are not mailed; they are available via myLakerLink.

Incomplete Grades

Pass-Fail Grading Option

Certain courses offer students an option to receive a grade of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory) instead of letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F). This option must be exercised at the time of registration.  Courses required for your degree program must be taken for a letter grade.

S Grade: For evaluation and transferability purposes, the 'S' grade is equivalent to a grade of C or better.

Audit Option

Students electing to audit a class (no grade, no credit) must choose this option at the time of registration or no later than the end of the sixth week of instruction for standard term-length classes. Check with the Student First Stop Center for last day to change grading status for nonstandard-length classes. Auditing students pay in accordance with the tuition schedule and participate to a degree determined by them and the instructors. Audited courses at time of registration are not eligible for financial aid.

Course Repeat and Ability to Profit Policy

For academic purposes, the ability to benefit from instruction is defined as the ability to achieve the skill level or knowledge to apply the subject matter in an academic or practical situation. This is defined as at least an S or C grade.

A student may repeat a course once to improve a grade. A second repeat may only be attempted with the recommendation of a counselor, and a third repeat requires the approval of the Vice President of Instruction.

Refer to the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy available online.

All course attempts will remain on the transcript. Only the highest grade will be reflected in the cumulative grade point average (GPA) calculated for Southwestern cumulative gpa. Financial aid is required by Federal regulations to calculate the cumulative grade point average using the historical transcript of all actual grades earned.

Some courses may be taken more than once for credit (e.g., PE 185 Sport/Activity courses). In these cases, the grades of the repeated courses will reflect in the cumulative GPA.

Academic Notification System

To help students be successful, the Academic Notification System has been developed to monitor the academic progress of students.

The Academic Notification System is a three-step process designed to alert students to potential lack of progress during their academic career.

Step 1 – Academic Notification: This status results when students' term grade point average (GPA) are below satisfactory progress (2.0) or students have received two or more ‘U’ or ‘F’ grades in one term.

Step 2 – Academic Probation: If the student has received Academic Notification Status and the term GPA is again below 2.0 or the student has received two or more ‘U’ or ‘F’ grades in one term, the student is placed on academic probation. The student will continue on probation until the cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher, provided that satisfactory progress is maintained during this time.

Step 3 – Academic Suspension: If, during any term while on probation or previous suspension, the student does not make satisfactory progress, the student will be suspended. This status results when the term GPA and current cumulative GPA are below 2.0.

Appeals for reinstatement to Southwestern Oregon Community College after academic suspension are found at Student First Stop, forms.  Appeals for reinstatement are reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee.

Students receiving financial aid must complete an additional appeal process (FA appeal for reinstatement) following an academic or financial aid suspension.

Students who are academically suspended, but have been absent from Southwestern for five or more years, will be automatically reinstated.  After meeting with their advisors, students must contact the transcript evaluator located in Dellwood Hall for the automatic reinstatement.

The Purpose of the Academic Notification System

To assist each student with accomplishing his/her educational goal by:

• Alerting the student and the college of academic difficulties or deficiencies.
• Providing an opportunity for the college to be of assistance to the student in setting and achieving academic goals.
• Assisting the student in utilizing the facilities and personnel of the college.
• Creating an atmosphere in which the student may be successful in his/her pursuit of an education.

Academic Honors

To graduate with academic honors, students must meet the criteria for graduation and have a 3.75 cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). Cumulative GPA includes all transfer credits from other colleges. All coursework from other colleges will be included in the cumulative GPA, regardless of applicability to current coursework. Southwestern offers a number of options to achieve academic honors. To be recognized, students must meet the following criteria:

Academic Excellence

Achieve a term grade point average of 4.0 for the quarter with a minimum of 12 credit hours will be listed on the Academic Excellence Roll for that quarter.

Honor Roll

Achieve a term grade point average of 3.5 to 3.99 inclusive with a minimum of 12 credit hours will be listed on the Honor Roll for that quarter.

Dean’s List

Achieve a term grade point average of 3.0 and 3.49 with a minimum of 12 credit hours will be listed on the Dean’s List for that quarter.

Southwestern Scholar

Appear on the Honor Roll or achieve Academic Excellence for the entire academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring terms).

Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for two-year colleges. Alpha Kappa Phi is the Southwestern chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. To join Alpha Kappa Phi, a student must have accumulated a total of 12 college-level credits at Southwestern toward an associate’s degree and must have a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher. All members must also maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA.